There has never been a better time than now to learn something new.
The freelance economy is thriving. Remote work is becoming more popular. And it is becoming easier to find jobs online.
If you’re wondering what the best skills to learn today are, I have a few ideas for you.
In this guide, I will look at some of the best skills to learn that are in high demand.
Someone recently contacted me for job-search advice. She worked as a web developer for a tech company for 5 years. However, she was having difficulty finding work online.
Her issue was that most online jobs required more than one skill. And she was only skilled in one area. Working online is actually quite common.
Because you are working alone, you must have a basic understanding of other relevant skills to your industry in order to deliver high-quality projects.
For example, if you’re a web designer, understanding UX design will help you create better websites. If you’re a blogger, having knowledge of SEO will help you land jobs. If you work as a social media manager, you should be familiar with graphic design in order to create content for social networks.
Developing and learning multiple skills related to your industry is never a waste of time. It may even help you land more high-paying jobs.
To assist you in your search for practical skills to learn, I’ve compiled a list of skills that are in high demand in freelancing markets. As I previously stated, you can combine them to learn multiple skills and increase your chances of landing a job.
App Development (Programming)
Coding, also known as programming, is still one of the highest-paying skills in the freelancing market. A skilled developer can earn up to and even beyond $1,000 per hour.
However, there is a reason for its popularity. Mostly because it is not a skill that can be learned overnight, or even in a few months. To become an experienced developer, hundreds of hours of practice and learning are required.
If you’re up for it, programming is a skill you can learn to help you build a profitable career and a better future. App development is currently in high demand. You can also learn everything there is to know about app development by taking online courses and programs.
However, don’t expect to be able to code after just a few online courses. It will take far more than that.
Copywriting
Copywriting is unquestionably one of the most important skills for nearly all types of professionals.
Whether you’re a digital marketer, a social media manager, or a graphic designer, knowing how to properly handle words will make your job much easier.
You could also make a living as a copywriter. As a copywriter, you can work in a variety of fields, including website copywriting, blogging, eBook writing, product copywriting, and more.
UX and UI Design
User Experience Design (UXD) and User Interface Design (UID) are two valuable skills in high demand in today’s markets.
A UX designer’s primary responsibility is to assist designers in creating user-friendly products. This is true for a wide range of products and crafts.
Consider the smartphone you’re holding in your hand. A UX designer must have made the decision to use a square-shaped design for smartphones at some point. So that it can be held in one hand. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to hold a phone with a round design?
As a result, UX design is essential in every design, from website designs to posters, flyers, and even toilet paper.
UI designers are in charge of creating user interfaces for apps and websites. It is also their responsibility to create user interfaces that are easier to use and more effective.
On freelance marketplaces, both of these skills are in high demand. Furthermore, it provides excellent career opportunities.
Video Game Development
Learning to make your own video game could become a soft skill for any profession in the near future. That is how large the video game industry has grown. In fact, it is larger than Hollywood.
Professionals in the gaming industry appear to have a bright future. You could also start your path to a lucrative career in games by learning how to create them.
There are numerous job postings on freelance marketplaces for video game development. There is a path for you if you want to be a freelance game developer.
However, concentrate on establishing a career path. Making video games Alternatively, you could join the team of a well-known game development company. Everything could start with a simple online course.
Digital Marketing & SEO
Many different social networking sites gain popularity from time to time. Businesses will always find a way to promote their brands and products on these sites, regardless of the type of content they promote.
In these ever-changing times, one thing is certain: there will always be a demand for digital marketing. A digital marketing team is always on the front lines, especially when it comes to promoting eCommerce websites and brands online.
One of the many aspects of digital marketing is search engine optimization (SEO). It’s also a necessary skill for all types of marketers, including bloggers and writers. Learning how to optimize a script, blog post, or website copy for higher Google rankings is a skill that many jobs require.
Data Science
A friend of mine recently pointed out the importance of data science as a skill. It’s one of those skills that will only become more in demand in the coming years.
Every company, brand, or startup collects various types of data. Customer information, sales statistics, competitor assessments, target audience reports, customer engagement data, and so on. Data scientists take all of this information and help businesses understand what it means. And contribute to the development of future projections and assessments for the company.
Data science is far more complicated than that. However, it is a skill that will help you build a long-term career. This skill, like learning to code, is extremely difficult to learn. You must also be proficient in mathematics.
Social Media Marketing & Management
Influencer marketing is one of today’s most effective forms of marketing. Why? Because social media influencers have such a strong influence over their followers, when they recommend a product, their followers are more likely to purchase it.
Because of this new trend in digital marketing, social media marketing has become yet another useful skill to learn. Learning how to market products and promote brands on social networking sites is a skill that can be learned quickly through online courses.
You can also learn how to manage social media. In which you assist businesses and brands in better managing their accounts and recommending strategies to grow their social channels.
Product Design
Product design is another multifaceted field. However, product packaging design is a skill that is in high demand on online freelance marketplaces.
As you are aware, the packaging of a product is what entices people to purchase it. The job of a product packaging designer is to assist businesses in creating appealing packaging for their products.
This skill requires an understanding of many technical aspects of how packaging works for various types of products. But it’s one worth exploring.
It’s also worth noting that UX design, copywriting, and digital marketing all play significant roles in product design.
Video Editing
With the rise of video-based social networks such as TikTok and Instagram, there is a growing demand for video editors.
Professional editors are frequently sought after by businesses and creators to create more engaging videos for their channels. This is your moment to shine.
Video editing is not a difficult skill to learn, but being a good editor does. If you have a computer capable of handling video editing workloads, you can learn this skill in a matter of weeks.
Business Analytics
Analytics is critical to the growth of any business.
Analytics can be used to identify opportunities for business growth as well as product flaws.
For example, when a company conducts a survey, it can use analytics to determine and analyze all of the data gathered from the survey.
This is where Excel experts can come in handy. Excel analytics is also in high demand.
Microsoft Excel is a fantastic skill that you can learn quickly. And it will open up a plethora of opportunities for you in the freelance market.
Conclusion
When it comes to applying for jobs online, patience is required. Don’t be in a hurry to apply for jobs. Instead, invest time in developing a skill set that complements one another. It will assist you in producing better results. And eventually, you’ll be able to land high-paying jobs with happy clients who will give you long-term contracts.
Continue to learn and improve your skills.